Download Sidefy Free from the homepage. Keep the core screen-edge timeline with sensible caps; Premium on the Mac App Store unlocks everything else.
Sidefy is a macOS app that lays out today’s calendar, reminders, RSS, GitHub, and plugin events along your screen edge. If you want to try it before buying Sidefy Premium on the Mac App Store, download the free edition from the homepage.
It is feature-limited, not time-limited. No countdown. No subscription. The core idea is the same: one timeline at the screen edge, so you do not have to jump between apps to see what is on today.
Why we offer a free edition
Sidefy lives at the screen edge. That is the product — and it is hard to judge from a screenshot or a short demo alone. You need to sit with the timeline through a real day: calendar blocks, reminders, RSS headlines, maybe a plugin alert at noon. A countdown trial rushes that decision. We would rather let you take your time.
Premium is a one-time purchase, not a subscription. The free edition is our way to let you try Sidefy properly before you buy on the Mac App Store — without wondering whether a clock is running out.
Sidefy has also grown mostly through word of mouth: people who use it, keep it, and tell others. The free build is capped, but the core timeline is the same. We would rather more people experience that honestly than skip Sidefy because a store listing cannot fully explain what a screen-edge hub feels like in daily use.
Download and updates
Open sidefy.locusable.com and click Free Download, or use sidefy.locusable.com/download/free.
- Requirements: macOS 14.0 (Sonoma) or later
- Updates: The free edition checks for updates automatically through Sparkle
- Builds: Official signed, notarized packages from Sidefy — do not use repackaged builds from unofficial sources
The free edition and Premium use separate install and update channels: Sparkle for the free build, App Store updates for Premium.
What is included
The free build is meant for an honest try of Sidefy’s core timeline experience, not a stripped-down demo that stops after a few days.
You still get:
- The screen-edge timeline for today’s events
- System calendar and reminders
- RSS feeds (up to 5)
- GitHub repo notifications (up to 5)
- Custom and online plugins (up to 5 combined; built-in plugins do not count toward this limit)
- Rules (up to 5)
- Plugins from the community gallery, within the custom/online plugin cap above
For many people, that is enough to decide whether Sidefy fits their daily workflow.
Free edition vs Premium
Premium is the full app on the Mac App Store — a one-time purchase, not a subscription. The free edition keeps the core timeline but caps several power-user features:
| Feature | Free | Premium (App Store) |
|---|---|---|
| Rules | Up to 5; SideScript import & export not available | Unlimited; import/export available |
| Rule templates | Not available | Available |
| RSS feeds | Up to 5; OPML import & export not available | Unlimited; OPML available |
| GitHub repos | Up to 5 | Unlimited |
| Custom / online plugins | Up to 5 combined (built-in plugins excluded) | Unlimited |
| Advanced settings | Not available | Available |
| AI translation | Not available | Available |
| SideScript advanced editing | Not available | Available (requires experimental features) |
| MCP / local server | Not available | Available (requires experimental features) |
| iCloud sync | Not available | Available |
| Experimental features | Not available | Available |
| Updates | Sparkle (direct download) | App Store updates |
Advanced appearance options (themes, colors, fonts, and layout) are part of Premium, as noted in our FAQs.
If you mainly want calendar, reminders, a handful of RSS feeds, and a few plugins on one timeline, the free edition is a solid starting point. If you need unlimited feeds, translation, rules automation, MCP, or iCloud sync, Premium is the better fit.
Who is the free edition for?
Good fit:
- You want to live with the screen-edge timeline for a while before paying
- You follow a small set of RSS feeds and GitHub repos
- You want to try community plugins before buying Premium
Consider Premium if:
- You need more than five feeds, repos, rules, or custom/online plugins
- You want AI translation, advanced settings, iCloud sync, or MCP
- Sidefy is already your daily hub and you want no caps
Upgrading from free to Premium
The free edition and Premium are separate installs. Upgrading means purchasing Sidefy Premium on the Mac App Store — it is not an in-app unlock from the free build.
Because iCloud sync is not available in the free edition, RSS feeds, GitHub repos, rules, and plugin setup may need to be configured again in Premium unless you recreate them manually.
Getting started
- Click Free Download on sidefy.locusable.com and install the free edition.
- Grant calendar and reminder access when prompted.
- Add one or two RSS feeds from the menu bar: Plugins → RSS Reader → Settings.
- Move your cursor to the screen edge and scan today’s timeline.
For a step-by-step RSS walkthrough, see the Quick Start guide.
Feedback
For bugs and feedback about the free edition or the App Store build, open an issue on GitHub (sidefy-team/sidefy).
For the Mac App Store product, you can also use App Store support or the in-app contact options.
License note
Sidefy is proprietary software by ØYNN — not open source. The free edition may be installed from official builds and updated through Sparkle only. Redistribution, repackaging, or commercial use of free-edition builds without permission is not allowed. The App Store version is licensed under Apple’s EULA and ØYNN’s copyright. Third-party component licenses are listed in the app under About → Third-Party Dependencies.
Sidefy Free is there so you can experience the product honestly. If the timeline sticks, Premium unlocks the rest without changing how you work day to day.